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Ontario HOV access for single passenger EV's expires June 2016

Not advertised to the general public:
Your green licence plate is a sign of your commitment to a cleaner Ontario. Until June 30, 2016, electric vehicles with green plates will be granted access toHOV lanes on 400-series highways and the QEW, even if there is only one person in the car. HOV lanes are otherwise reserved for vehicles carrying two or more people.

Please contact the Minister of Transport to request the date be extended.

So far the HOT lanes are only for the QEW and there are still HOV lanes on the 403 and 404, to name only two other highways. And there is no reason why green plates couldn't get a free pass for the toll charges.

The 404 signs specifically state "Green Plate". Even if I could use the HOV lane I refuse to because inevitably there is some slow poke ahead and I have more options in the rest of the lanes. In stop-and-go traffic there might be a slight advantage.

The HOT lane announcement includes Green Vehicle plate access and that project won't be ready before the HOV June 30th 2016 expiration. It's likely that HOV access will continue and that MTO will update the site as they did last year.

It's also Ontario Green Plates only. For instance, Quebec Green EV plates don't qualify. Provinces should cooperate on this. Someone who lives in Ottawa may drive a lot in Gatineau and vice-versa, so cooperation towards a common goal would really help in such cases.

It's also Ontario Green Plates only. For instance, Quebec Green EV plates don't qualify. Provinces should cooperate on this. Someone who lives in Ottawa may drive a lot in Gatineau and vice-versa, so cooperation towards a common goal would really help in such cases.

Click to expand...

For Ontario/Quebec it makes sense but if this becomes too widespread it becomes a problem coordinating. OPP officers will now have to learn the characteristics of green license plates for the 60 or so other jurisdictions in North America. Is that realistic? And do Sask and Florida always get a free ride since all of their license plates are green?

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